8-hydroxyguanosine and 2-amino-3-8-dimethylimidazo(4-5-f)quinoxaline

Qualitative and quantitative approaches are important issues in field of carcinogenic risk assessment of the genotoxic carcinogens. Herein, we provide quantitative data on low-dose hepatocarcinogenicity studies for three genotoxic hepatocarcinogens: 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN). Hepatocarcinogenicity was examined by quantitative analysis of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci, which are the preneoplastic lesions in rat hepatocarcinogenesis and the endpoint carcinogenic marker in the rat liver medium-term carcinogenicity bioassay. We also examined DNA damage and gene mutations which occurred through the initiation stage of carcinogenesis. For the establishment of points of departure (PoD) from which the cancer-related risk can be estimated, we analyzed the above events by quantitative no-observed-effect level and benchmark dose approaches. MeIQx at low doses induced formation of DNA-MeIQx adducts; somewhat higher doses caused elevation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyquanosine levels; at still higher doses gene mutations occurred; and the highest dose induced formation of GST-P positive foci. These data indicate that early genotoxic events in the pathway to carcinogenesis showed the expected trend of lower PoDs for earlier events in the carcinogenic process. Similarly, only the highest dose of IQ caused an increase in the number of GST-P positive foci in the liver, while IQ-DNA adduct formation was observed with low doses. Moreover, treatment with DEN at low doses had no effect on development of GST-P positive foci in the liver. These data on PoDs for the markers contribute to understand whether genotoxic carcinogens have a threshold for their carcinogenicity. The most appropriate approach to use in low dose-response assessment must be approved on the basis of scientific judgment.

Topics: Animals; Carcinogenicity Tests; Carcinogens; Diethylnitrosamine; DNA; DNA Adducts; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Glutathione Transferase; Guanosine; Humans; Liver; Male; Mice; Mutagenicity Tests; Mutagens; Quinolines; Quinoxalines; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344

The strong association between chronic inflammation and development of cancer is well-established in chronic inflammatory states. Nitric oxide (NO) is generated by inflammatory cytokines due to the action of inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), oxidizing DNA to form 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) adducts, a major species of oxidative DNA damage. In the present study, we investigated the enhancing effect of carbon tetrachloride, a typical hepatotoxic chemical, on rat 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) hepato-carcinogenesis. A total of 420, 21-day-old, male Fisher 344 rats were given MeIQx at a concentration of 0, 0.001 ppm (human exposure level), 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ppm in the diet, and each group was separated into carbon tetrachloride-treated and vehicle-treated subgroups. Carbon tetrachloride was given by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection twice a week at a dose of 0.125 ml/kg body weight (b.w.) for the first 10 weeks and then at 0.25 ml/kg b.w. during the next 10 weeks. All rats were sacrificed at the end of week 22. In the vehicle-treated animals, only 100 ppm MeIQx significantly increased the number of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci in the liver compared with 0 ppm MeIQx. Co-administration of carbon tetrachloride enhanced the induction of GST-P-positive foci by MeIQx in each group and the curve was almost the same pattern as that of vehicle-treated group but their numbers were significantly enhanced with 10 ppm and above compared with 0 ppm MeIQx. Persistent liver injury and liver cell proliferation were histopathologically observed in carbon tetrachloride-treated groups. Increase of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) formation and iNOS overexpression were observed by co-administration of carbon tetrachloride in MeIQx-treated rat liver. Our results indicate that carbon tetrachloride enhances MeIQx hepato-carcinogenicity through increase in oxidative DNA damage but non-effect levels of MeIQx carcinogenic activity still exist.

Topics: Animals; Bromodeoxyuridine; Carbon Tetrachloride; Carcinogens; DNA; DNA Damage; DNA Primers; DNA-Formamidopyrimidine Glycosylase; Glutathione Transferase; Guanosine; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Liver; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; Male; N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Placenta; Quinoxalines; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Transaminases